The pub scene
by PCJAL
Summary: Just a little thing that popped into my head after watching the last ever episode of the bill, it is just a bit of fluff, there are some parings in there.


**The pub scene.**

**Just a little thought that popped into my head after the last episode**

**Disclaimer**: **Don't own anything, if I did it would still be on.**

**Enjoy.**

Walking into the pub Smithy and Stone head to the bar. Ordering a couple of pints of beer they commandeer a couple of the largest tables in the pub.

"How many people are coming down here?" Stone queries mentally counting the chairs around them.

Taking a sip of his pint Smithy has a quick look around "quite a few I imagine, after the day that everyone has had" putting his pint down, he relaxes back in the chair. "You've got Kirsty and Mel, who will be down in a minute. Most of C.I.D, they don't need an excuse to have a piss up" chuckling at the thought. "Jo, Leon and Ben when they finish in an hour, oh and Roger too, should be pretty full in a while"

"Good. Will be good for everyone to relax", sitting back in his chair he eyes the pub.

Looking at Stone, Smithy takes a breath, "I won't harp on about this for too long, but well done for today" putting his hand up when he sees Stone open his mouth. "No you deserve it, things could have ended up really bad today, but you prevented it. Well done" Picking up his pint Smithy nods his head at Stone.

Mulling the words over Stone silently picks up his pint and clinks it against Smithy's "to the job".

"To the job" Smithy echoes, taking a gulp.

"-then after that cheesy line, he still expects me to go with him! Can you believe it" Mel dissolves into giggles as her and Kirsty walk into the pub.

"Men, they think anything will work" Kirsty says, giggling with Mel.

Spying Smithy and Stone "speaking of men" Mel nods her head in their direction, grabbing Kirsty's arm she leads her over to them. "Who's getting the drinks in then?" collapsing into a chair next to Stone.

Rolling his eyes, Smithy gets up "I'll get this round then shall I" asking the rhetorical question, heading to the bar, he asks over his shoulder what they want.

"Two white wines please sir." Mel shouts over to him, turning back to Kirtsy, whipping her head back round "oh and a packet of crisps please" seeing him shake his head Mel sees that he has got the message.

Looking over at Stone, Mel chews her bottom lip "you alright sarge?" Playing with the place mat on the table, she awaits his answer.

"Yea, fine Mel, thanks" giving her a slight smile, Stone downs the rest of his pint. "But enough of that tonight, let's just enjoy it eh?"

Nodding her head in recognition to leave it, Mel turns her attention to Kirsty. "So, what's going on with you and Leon then, anything else happening?" asking cheekily.

Shoving her shoulder gently, "shove off, I told ya it was a one night thing" blushing lightly.

"Here you go guys" placing the glasses on the table, passing another pint to Stone, and putting a glass in front of Mel and Kirsty "enjoy".

"Cheers guv" Kirsty raises her glass and takes a sip.

"Yea, cheers sir" Mel speaks up, taking a big gulp. "Oh crisps?" looking up to Smithy

Shaking his head he throws the packet of crisps over to her. "You are obsessed with crisps"

Grinning back, "so who else is coming down then?"

"Oi, oi- you guys starting the night without us?" Terry makes his entrance into the pub, shouting over to Smithy and the others.

Rubbing his hands together, "right who's getting the first round in then?" Turning to look at the rest of the team that followed him in, he raises an eyebrow.

Looking at everyone, Banksy shakes his head "looks like I am" when no one responds "usual everyone?"

Echoes of cheers and usual please Banksy sound around him. Heading to the bar he starts ordering the drinks.

Taking up seats dotted around the table, Stevie, Terry, Mickey, Eddie integrate themselves amongst Smithy, Stone, Mel and Kirsty.

After greeting everyone and settling down Smithy looks around the C.I.D that have walked in.

"No Grace or the Neil?" Smithy asks the group, looks around he realises he is receiving smirks from most of the group, "what?"

"Oh come on Smithy, you must have noticed by now everyone else has." Stone informs him.

"Everyone else has what?" Banksy interjects bringing over a tray full of drinks. "Here you go guys" placing the drinks in front of everyone. Receiving thanks and cheers, he sits down and looks at Stone for the answer.

"Smithy is out of the loop about why Grace and Neil are not here" Stone informs him catching him up on the conversation.

"Ahhh" taking a sip of his pint, smiling.

"Well, you gonna tell me then, or keep me in the dark" Smithy asks frowning at the big thing he is missing out on.

"Yea me too, what's going on?" Mel asks, feeling out of the loop.

"Now mel, I can understand Smithy as he is blind to everything" Stevie says getting a shove on her shoulder from him, "but you, you know everything happening in that station, how can you not know?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Mel takes a sip of her drink "don't know, just not heard anything", sitting back in her chair, "so are you going to fill us in then?" asking Stevie.

"Well y'know, the two of them "Terry says waggling his eyebrows, smirking at Mel.

"No! Really, how long?" Smithy asks catching on, sitting up and placing his pint on the table, _this is good stuff, how comes I never hear any of this!_

"Not sure really, been a few weeks though at least" Banksy says "ever since that KAPUR kidnapping they have been a bit different" thinking back over the past few weeks.

"Yea, Max seemed to know when he came back from his—hols" Mickey puts in.

"Yea how did he know? He hasn't been around for ages and the day he comes back he knows!" Stevie puts the question out. "It even took me a while!"

"Well I say good luck to em, so bloody hard to keep a relationship going in this job" Kirsty says.

"Too right, I haven't had a decent boyfriend in a long time, it just seems that once they find out I am a police officer, they run a mile" Mel says downing the rest of her wine.

"That's cos you're not looking in the right place" Stone says back to her.

"You offering sarge" Mel counters back looking him up and down winking.

The whole table erupts when they see Stone choke on his pint and then turn a nice shade of red.

Clapping his back Smithy can't stop laughing "brilliant Mel, brilliant".

"I'm off to get another drink, anyone else want one?" Mel asks getting up

"You wanna pace yourself girl how many is that now?" Mickey asks her.

Raising an eyebrow, "I bet I could drink you under the table any day Mickey!" turning around she heads to the bar.

"Oi, Mel get the drinks in!" Leon's voice carries over the pub. Taking his jacket off he plops himself down in her vacant chair.

"You better get out of my chair mister!" Mel calls back, seeing that Leon is in accompany with Ben, Jo and Roger she amends her order.

"Here ya 'go guys" Mel puts the drinks down. "shove off mister that's my chair" placing her hand on her hips waiting for him to move.

"nope fairs, fairs you moved, grab another chair." Shaking his head he takes a gulp of his beer.

Standing up and walking over to Mel "Well you can always take a pew on sarge's knee Mel" Kirsty whispers into her ear.

Turning to look over at Stone, Mel and Kirsty see that he is chatting away with Roger and Smithy, totally oblivious to the girls.

"Hmmm good idea" Mel muses over.

"You were saying about not having a decent guy...we all know how much of an arsehole he can be but…" Kirsty continues to plant the thought in her head.

Feeling that something is up, Stone drifts from the conversation with Smithy and Roger, looking around he spies Mel and Kirsty staring at him and whispering to each other. "I don't like it when females start doing that" Stone says absently.

"What's that?" Smithy asks him.

"Standing, staring and whispering, never a good outcome" Stone nods his head slightly over to them.

"Yep, you don't want to get involved with them two" Roger puts his two cents in. "Oh here we go" when he sees them walking over.

"Sarge…." Mel starts off teasingly.

"Yes…" Stone answers hesitantly

Feeling a bit brave from all of the alcohol she has drunk within a short space of time, she moves closer "well Leon has taken my chair…" leaning over and whispering in his ear.

Hearing Smithy and Roger chuckling behind him, Stone takes a swallows the nerves that have built up in his throat. "okay…" he is all he manages to squeeze out.

Straightening up suddenly Mel says "so I thought your lap would be the next best thing" stating like it's the most obvious thing in the world, she places herself on his leg, leaning on the table.

Roaring with laughter now, Smithy can't help but take a photo of the shocked look on Stone, still staring at Mel.

Giggling away as well, Kirsty high fives Mel, and then takes her seat back down next to Leon, turning and chatting with him.

"Hey give Grace a call see if we can get her and Neil down here, it's not complete without them" Banksy says to Jo.

Nodding her head she whips out her phone and walks out of the pub to make the call.

"Where's Jo going?" Stevie asks spying Jo leaving.

"Calling Grace, see is she can get them to come down" Banksy informs her.

After a few minutes Jo walks back in with a grin on her face. "Easier than I thought, they are on their way down", sitting back down.

"They?" Terry queries.

"Yep, I think they realise now that everyone knows, so they will be down in a bit" Jo shrugs her shoulder. Seeing her empty glass she motions to Terry "Your round" showing him her empty glass.

Shaking his head Terry gets up, heading to the bar to get the next round in.

Half an hour pass then an almighty cheers starts erupting from the people who were facing the door. "Oi, Oi", "get in there", "at last" were some of the phrases that were being shouted out.

Walking through the door was Grace and Neil, the latter had his arm around her waist as he led her through the door, both ducking their head at the attention they were receiving.

Moving over to the table they are both greeted, Jo pulling Grace into a hug "about time girl" she whispers, followed by Stevie.

Several claps on the backs and grins were met by Neil, who couldn't shake the grin off his own face.

Sitting down at the table, a pint and glass of wine were placed in front of them seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

Placing an arm around Grace's shoulders Neil pulls her closer. "Who'd a thought we would get this sort of reception" whispering in her ear.

"Yea, helps most people knew anyway" Grace replies, looking around seeing that they were no longer centre of attention.

"Well might as make it official, official then eh" grinning back at her. Relaxing in the chairs they both get immersed in the chatting around them.

"Y'know who is missing from this." Jo speaks up.

"Who Max!" Mickey shouts at her.

"Ha, no, but Meadows, not complete without him really" Jo says back.

"He'll be here in a minute" Neil says to her, getting a tilt of the head as a response he carries on, "I called him just after Grace was called, he should be here in a sec" informing her.

"Speak of the devil" Smithy talks over them all pointing to the doors.

Walking through was the one and only Jack Meadows, taking his coat off he pulls up a chair and quickly gets drawn into the conversations around him.

With the drinks flowing and no one left with an empty glass people were slowly getting more and tipsier.

Looking around everyone Jack takes a look at the group of people who are not only his team, but have become some sort of odd family after years, there is one team; Roger and Ben now playing pool over by the bar, getting chatted up by a couple of _very nice looking ladies_.

Kirsty and Leon alone _again_ doing stuff under the table I _really _don't want to know. _They seem happy though, Go for it guys!_ Diverting his eyes when they start to get a bit more involved with each other, "get a room" someone shouts to the, making Jack chuckle.

Chuckling he carries on looking over at his team. Mel is still sitting on Callum's lap, he sees quite relaxed though, spying his hands on her hips, and her leaning back against him, _hmmm have to keep an eye on them two._ Smiling to himself.

Then there is Smithy and Stevie in a world of their own, chatting away- Smithy not being able to take his eyes off of her. _Bless him_,_ maybe Stevie can teach him a thing or too._

His eyes flit over to Grace and Neil, in their own world, practically sitting on Neil lap they are that close, their heads ducked together with Neil talking in her ear, hands playing with each other's. _About time with them two._

A place mat that flies over his head captures the attention of Terry and Mickey, _boys will always be boys_ seeing then throw place mat and nuts at each other. Starting to hit other people, they soon stop and start looking at something on Mickey's phone.

Lastly Banksy and Eddie, an odd addition to the team but Eddie had slipped in nicely, fitting in quite well with them. Seeing Eddies hand wave around in the air, Jack shakes his head _only Eddie can be explaining something that hard whilst in a pub_ after seeing Banksy confused look.

Snapping back to reality when his name is called, Jack is immerses back into the conversation he is having with Jo. _Jo _a bit like him, part and parcel of both teams, uniform and C.I.D , after making the transition to uniform, but belonging in both.

With the drinks flowing freely and the night only starting to end soon Jack feels like he needs to say something.

Standing up and clearing his throat the team quite down and look towards their boss "I'll only take up a moment of your time folks, but I just wanted to say something" Stopping and looking down at the table he downs the rest of his pint.

Looking back up and roaming his eyes over everyone he starts "When working in a close net of people who you see sometimes more than your family, it is important that you trust everyone, and that was displayed today. Without that trust and respect things can always go wrong, but over the past few weeks everyone has proved their worth and I am proud of all of you and that I call you not only my team but my family" Meadows voice floats over to everyone.

Taking in what was said by their boss, the round of applause starts, "here, here" someone shouts.

"Now after that speech, lets get back to drinking shall we!" chuckling at the end. Sitting back down he receives a hug from Jo and starts drinking the pint placed down in front of him.

**Just a short little fic that popped up in my mind after the last episode, had to get it down somewhere.**

**Hope it was a good read**

**Let me know what you think. R & R please.**


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